Earth Day is usually celebrated on April 22. Former U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson continues to spearhead the event with the Earth Day Network and takes credit for organizing the original Earth Day in 1970.

San Francisco activist John McConnell also takes credit for coming up with the idea of Earth Day in 1970. McConnell said he, along with anthropologist Margaret Mead, choose today as Earth Day because it is the vernal equinox, "when the sun crosses the celestial equator and night and day are equal throughout earth."

The vernal equinox, explained McConnell, symbolizes Earth's state of equilibrium, the first day of spring, the origin of earth's own rotation and revolution. The perfect day for "peace, justice and the care of earth... a global holiday to celebrate the wonder of life on our planet."

"The vernal equinox," added Mead, "calls on all mankind to recognize and respect Earths beautiful systems of balance, between the presence of animals on land, the fish in the sea, birds in the air, mankind, water, air, and land. Most importantly there must always be awareness of the actions by people that can disturb this precious balance."

Whether today or April 22, concern for the earth is important. Two days of care is better than one. And 365 days of care are best of all.